James F Byrnes Foundation
The James F Byrnes Foundation is a private foundation established in 1947 in South Carolina. The foundation was founded by James F. Byrnes, a prominent South Carolina politician who served in all three branches of the federal government: the U.S. House of Representatives (1911-1925), U.S. Senate (1931-1941), Supreme Court (1941-1942), Secretary of State (1945-1947), and Governor of South Carolina (1951-1955). The foundation is located in Columbia, South Carolina.
Key facts about James F Byrnes Foundation
In short: James F Byrnes Foundation gave $227K across 19 grants in 2025 (avg $12K), mostly in South Carolina. 5% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 57-6024756
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $227,000
- Grants made (2025)
- 19
- Average grant
- $11,947
- Median grant
- $5,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 5% first-time grantees (1 of 19, 2025)
- Total assets
- $5,466,060
- Primary geography
- South Carolina (89% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- Applications for Fall 2027 will be available December 2026. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$5.5M
+5.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$227K
+19.4% YoY
Grant Count
19
-17.4% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$12K
+44.5% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, James F Byrnes Foundation reported a distributable amount of $293K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is James F Byrnes Foundation open to new grantees?
5%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 1 of 19 grantees (5%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $2K; repeat grants $13K. How we count
Medians: $2K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 89% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 21% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 112% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary purpose is to assist students with financing a college education. Specifically, the James F Byrnes Foundation provides scholarship assistance to high school seniors and college freshmen and sophomores attending 4-year institutions.
Eligibility Requirements:
- Applicant must be a resident of South Carolina
- Applicant must have lost one or both parents
- U.S. citizenship is required
- Scholarships are available for students attending colleges in any state
The foundation also provides counseling services and hosts a yearly retreat for scholarship recipients.
Grantmaking
Grant Range
s:**
How to Apply
**
Ready to take the next step with James F Byrnes Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily serves South Carolina residents, though scholarship recipients may attend colleges and universities in any state. Recent grant recipients include institutions across the United States, including universities in South Carolina, Alabama, Tennessee, and Florida.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 19 itemized 2025 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
Grant Size Distribution
105 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA Columbia, SC | EDUCATION | $50,000 |
| CLEMSON UNIVERSITY Clemson, SC | EDUCATION | $47,500 |
| ANDERSON UNIVERSITY Anderson, SC | EDUCATION | $25,000 |
| WINTHROP UNIVERSITY Rock Hill, SC | EDUCATION | $20,000 |
| COLLEGE OF CHARLESTON Charleston, SC | EDUCATION | $15,000 |
| USC UPSTATE Spartanburg, SC | EDUCATION | $10,000 |
| AUBURN UNIVERSITY Auburn, AL | EDUCATION | $5,000 |
| FURMAN UNIVERSITY Greenville, SC | EDUCATION | $5,000 |
| LANDER UNIVERSITY Greenwood, SC | EDUCATION | $5,000 |
| LIMESTONE UNIVERSITY Gaffney, SC | EDUCATION | $5,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue (2024):
- Total assets: $5,187,988
- Total revenues: $447,969
- Total expenses: $371,822
- Total giving: $193,000
- Number of grants: 24
Historical Assets:
- 2022: $5.2 million
- 2021: $4.8 million
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $5,466,060 | $5,187,988 | $5,111,841 |
| Revenue | $683,369 | $447,969 | $333,096 |
| Expenses | $405,297 | $371,822 | $380,544 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $326,478 | $295,824 | $333,555 |
| Net Investment Income | $368,816 | $271,104 | $64,294 |
| Distributable Amount | $292,627 | $276,859 | $263,272 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 21, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation is governed by a Board of Directors. Leadership mentioned in available sources includes:
- Cassie Connor
- Dr. Bill Rowe
The foundation maintains a separate auxiliary organization called the Byrnes Scholars, which is composed of present and former scholarship recipients and serves to unify scholars, promote the ideals of James and Maude Busch Byrnes, and provide fellowship opportunities.
James F Byrnes Foundation is led by Deaver McCraw, President since 2023 (on filings since 2020); none of the 12 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Deaver McCraw
President
Vice President → President, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Carrie Pergerson
Director
Director → Vice President, 2023
Vice President → Director, 2025
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Dal H. Poston
Director
President → Director, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Pam McElveen
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Rory Priester MD
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ryan Sneed
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ty Collier
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Faith Waitman
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Robin Holden Price
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
James Rhodes
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jay Hayes
Vice President
Director → Vice President, 2025
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kim Hatcher
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (4)
- Former: Kristine Hobbs (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: Lois H. Anderson (2020–2024) — Director Emeritus
- Former: Roxann Wrightson (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: Bill Rowe (2020) — Chairman Emeritus
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
**Upcoming Events:**
Super Weekend scheduled for March 20-22, 2026
Scholars Annual Luncheon scheduled for June 13, 2026
**2025 Activities:**
2025 Luncheon held
2025 Scholars announced
2025 Graduates recognized
The foundation continues to actively award scholarships and maintain engagement with its scholar community through annual events and a merchandise program promoting Byrnes Foundation pride.
Byrne Family Foundation Trust surpasses $1 million in rapid-response givingFrequently asked questions about James F Byrnes Foundation
How much does James F Byrnes Foundation give each year?
James F Byrnes Foundation gave $227K across 19 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $190K across 23 grants.
What is James F Byrnes Foundation's typical grant size?
James F Byrnes Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $11,947, across 19 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from James F Byrnes Foundation that year got $2K on average.
Where does James F Byrnes Foundation give grants?
James F Byrnes Foundation gives mostly in South Carolina: 89% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Charleston, SC (2 grants) and Spartanburg, SC (2 grants).
Does James F Byrnes Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 19 grants with a stated purpose on James F Byrnes Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Education" (19 grants).
Who are James F Byrnes Foundation's largest grantees?
James F Byrnes Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include University of South Carolina ($50,000), Clemson University ($47,500) and Anderson University ($25,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 54% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is James F Byrnes Foundation?
James F Byrnes Foundation reported $5.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $326K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $293K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does James F Byrnes Foundation fund?
The foundation's primary purpose is to assist students with financing a college education. Specifically, the James F Byrnes Foundation provides scholarship assistance to high school seniors and college freshmen and sophomores attending 4-year institutions. **Eligibility Requirements:** • Applicant must be a resident of South Carolina • Applicant must have lost one or both parents • U.S. citizenship is required • Scholarships are available for students attending colleges in any state The foundat…
How do I apply for a grant from James F Byrnes Foundation?
Applications for Fall 2027 will be available December 2026. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is James F Byrnes Foundation's EIN?
James F Byrnes Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 57-6024756. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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